UNITEDRANT

Neville – kids must get tough

Manchester United’s captain Gary Neville has urged the club’s youngsters to toughen up if they are to make it. Neville, famed for the work ethic and personal drive that took the right-back from the United youth side to the top of the world game, has called Old Trafford a ‘tough school’ for youngsters trying to make it at Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

“You don’t get too much said to you by the senior players, to be honest. You have to do it yourself,” United’s captain told The Daily Mirror.

“You do get help on the pitch, but it’s a tough school here and you’ve got to make your own mark. As a young player you’ve got to take your opportunities when they come along.

“The young players know the expectations. The fans let you know what those are. The manager does, too. You are surrounded by it all the time at Old Trafford.”

United’s younger players including Federico Macheda, Danny Welbeck, Darron Gibson, Gabriel Obertan, Anderson and the da Silva brothers will play against Tottenham in the Carling Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford tomorrow night. But there are concerns over the attitude of some young players – particularly Macheda, who allegedly had a training ground confrontation with Anderson.

“This place is an institution, a religion, and it needs dealing with in its own right every week,” Neville added.

“You can’t be focusing on other things. You get found out quickly here if you get distracted. We’re here to win titles every season and the fact we’ve got 18 is irrelevant. If we had 15, we’d want 16. We have 18 so we want 19.”